LOUSE BORNE DISEASES 289 



II. TRANSMISSION OF DISEASES BY LICE 



1. Diseases of Plant Origin 



Tliallophyta: Fungi: Ascomycetes: Gymnoasceae 



Achorion schoenleini (Lebert 1845), the cause of FAVUS, or POR- 

 RIGO, a fungus disease of the hair follicles, may be spread by head lice 

 according to Aubert (1879). 



Thallopliyta: Fungi: Hyphomycetes 



Malassezia species, causing the scaly skin diseases called PITY- 

 RIASIS, are claimed to be spread by lice by Aubert (1879). 



Thallopliyta: Fungi: Schizomycetes: Coccaceae 



Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus and albus, the cause of IMPETIGO 

 CONTAGIOSA, an acute contagious pustular inflammation of the skin 

 can be carried by head lice, as was proven by Dewevre (1892) by remov- 

 ing lice from impetigo cases and placing them on the heads of healthy 

 children, who some days later developed the disease. This claim has 

 been supported by various authors. Widmann (1915) attempted to 

 transmit Staphylococcus septicaemia by louse bite and failed although he 

 recovered living cocci from the louse feces after 60 hours but not later. 

 In view of recent findings with other louse-borne diseases, we may expect 

 that infection could have been obtained by slightly abrading the surface 

 on which the lice had defecated. 



Diplococcus intracellularis meningitidis Weichselbaum. Pizzini 

 (1917) found a strong parallel in two Italian outbreaks of CEREBRO- 

 SPINAL MENINGITIS with the occurrence of lice on soldiers and civil- 

 ians who contracted the disease. Some patients were found to have in 

 their underclothing louse vectors of the Meningococcus, or they were 

 found to have handled garments infested with such lice. The months 

 during which the disease is prevalent are those during which lice are 

 definitely parasitic. 



Diplococcus pemphigi coiitagiosi Manson, the cause of TROPICAL 

 IMPETIGO, is said by MacGregor (1917) to be carried by lice. 



Pneuinococcus. — In experiments conducted by Widmann (1915), he 

 succeeded in making lice bite mice in which he had produced Pneumococcus 

 septicaemia. He could not infect other mice by means of the louse bites 

 but found the louse feces infective during the first 24 hours. The cocci 

 were confined to the intestinal tract and did not multiply therein. 



